Who is Jurrien Timber? The versatile operator to bolster Arsenal's defence

 

With Kai Havertz set to join and supporters still hopeful that Declan Rice would prefer a summer switch to Arsenal over Manchester City, the Gunners are again making early moves in the market. Having finished second to City last season, Arsenal were aware they needed to strengthen in key areas in order to remain competitive both domestically and on the continent. 

 

Central midfield remains the priority in the midst of Granit Xhaka's impending return to Germany coupled with the willingness to listen to offers for Thomas Partey, with Rice the number one target in the middle of the park. What's more, Havertz, while perhaps not high on wishlists in north London, is a smart addition at the Emirates. 

 

However, a key reason behind Arsenal's failure to secure domestic glory was down to injuries in defence. Both Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba sustained season-ending knocks in Arsenal's Europa League defeat to Sporting CP in mid-March, and with the pair sidelined, Mikel Arteta's side were far more frail at the back. As a result, Arsenal's title pursuit fell to pieces as City ultimately pipped the Gunners to the post. 

 

With that in mind, Arsenal have been exploring defensive options, with Ajax's Jurrien Timber now their top defensive priority. Manchester United were linked with a move for the young Dutchman last summer having signed teammated Lisandro Martinez, but the transfer failed to materialise. Rumours suggested that United again would firm up their interest in Timber, which would see him reunite with Martinez and Erik ten Hag. However, Arsenal have stolen a march on the 22-year-old, and it now seems a matter of 'when' rather than 'if' a deal will be done. 

 

Arteta's desire to get the ball on the deck and have his centre-backs play out from the back is a key reason behind Arsenal's interest in Timber. One of the youngster's greatest strengths is the ability to instigate attacks from defence, having ranked top for both passes per game (80.2) and pass success rate (91.7%) in the Eredivisie last season. 

 

 

Much of that was down to Ajax's dominance in the Dutch top tier last term as they ranked top for possession (66.7%), which meant Timber saw plenty of the ball. Arsenal are a team that do look to dominate opponents, so Timber's skillset in possession means he should be a good fit for Arteta's side. Off the ball, the Netherlands international proved difficult to get the better of, which is another reason behind Arsenal's move for the centre-back. 

 

While the Ajax goal was rarely threatened last season - 8.8 shots conceded per game was the second fewest in the Eredivisie - when opponents did seek to pressure the Dutch powerhouse, Timber was on hand to quell attacking threats. Of the 130 players to attempt 50 or more tackles, only two had a better tackle success rate than Timber (87%), reinforcing a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of 'tackling'. 

 

Given Arsenal, like Ajax, conceded the second fewest shots per game (9) in the Premier League last season, this further backs up the decision to firm up interest in Timber. Yet what perhaps stands out the most is Timber's versatility. As is well known, Arteta likes his players to be able to operate in a number of different roles across the pitch. January arrival Leandro Trossard can perform anywhere across the frontline, while Havertz is another versatile operator. 

 

At the back, Ben White is able to play at both centre-back and right-back, as is Tomiyasu, and the same can be said of Timber. This allows Arteta to mix and match in-game without compromising the quality of the XI on the pitch. While Timber is unlikely to come in as a first choice when considering Arteta had a settled backline up until Saliba's injury, he is a handy defensive option that improves the strength of the squad in a key area. 

 

While Ajax are believed to be holding out for €45m, that in itself a hefty fee to pay for a player who won't immediately start for Arsenal, a return to the Champions League means the Gunners need to assemble a squad fit to, realistically, compete on four fronts next season, so quality in depth is crucial. Timber, then, vastly improves the defensive options at Arteta's disposal to boost their chances of silverware.

Who is Jurrien Timber? The versatile operator to bolster Arsenal's defence